Greater Harad
The land of Sîrayn (Ta."Watered Earth"), known to the Gondorians as Greater Harad (S."Panncharad"), was be divided into five major areas: Îsra, Kîrm Lesra (including Kîrmlesran Hills and the Dalad Kîrm), the eastern coast and forest (the Sára Básk), the Plain of Cénnacatt, and the Tûr Betark. Dominating them all, the Sîresha River ran 600 miles from its source in the Tûr Betark to its delta in the Bay of Ormal.Its inhabitants were collectively known as the Sîrani or Sîranians, Haradrim with a strong Khyan heritage, including the Bausairin, Cénnacatti, Haráni, Póa, Tyari. Their main language was known as Tazinain; most of them were adherents of the Tayé Faith although a minority belonged to the Keepers of the true Flame and the Tayb. Sîrayn in T.A.1640: South of the burning sands of the Haradwaith lay Greater Harad and the seven cities of Sîrayn (Ta. “Watered-earth”), the intellectual and economic hub of southern Middle-earth. The temitory comprised the fertile hills and vales along the northern flank of the Yellow Mountains. Although Near Harad boasted the magnificent naval port of Umbar, and Far Harad sheltered the dazzling trade center of Bôzisha-Dâr, Greater Harad eclipsed them both with the size of its population, the extent of its lands and the rigors of its history. Many dynasties had risen and fallen as kings had attempted to Control this verdant strip of earth. One dynasty would rule for centuries only to be succeeded by another as climatic changes, natural disasters, and political upheavals caused whole cities to be abandoned and new ones founded. Curiosity seekers might still find undisturbed ruins from the Second Age in remote areas. The cities of Sîrayn were founded along the Sîresha River and its tributaries. The Sîresha rushed from the slopes of the Yellow Mountains in western Cénnacatt through steep ravines and foaming rapids, slowing as the current passed through Îsra and Kîrm Lesra to become wide and lazy at its mouth in the Bay of Ormal. The cool streams and rolling grasslands characteristic of the river Valley provided a welcome relief to weary travellers from Bôzisha-Dâr or Harshandat. The breadbasket of the south, the lands of Sîrayn were a prize worth holding. Even the Dark Lord and his minions schemed to control this area. Following T.A. 1632, Tartas-Izain, the Taraskôn (Ta. “Wisdom-lord”) and chief councilor to the Taryb (Ta. “Mighty lord”) of Tûl Îsra, infiltrated the government of that city. Through his dark designs, he hoped to subjugate the free dwellers of Sîrayn, thus cementing the Dark Lord’s hold over this region of Middle Earth. Tartas-Izain’s superior, the Taryb, was a weak and inefficient ruler whose flaws had allowed the Taraskôn to obtain inappropriate power, effectually ruling the kingdom. Tartas-Izain wished to control the whole of Sîrayn and so had undertaken a plan to subjugate all of the cities under the Taryb’s rule. Once his power was secure in Sîrayn, he intended to conquer Harshandatt, as well as An-Balukkhôr and Bôzisha-Dâr in the West. Six of the seven cities of Sîrayn fell to the forces of Tûl Îsra and Tartas-Izain between the years 1631 and 1636.The seaport of Tûl Harar was the only city to maintain its independence. The port’s distance from the other cities, due to the presence of the tangled forest Sára Básk and the badlands of Kîrm lesra, as well as the difficulty of leading an army through these inhospitable geographic features, made a successful campaign untenable. Inhabitants Ainur: Demons of Vatra River Fays Sand-Demons Dwarves:Blacklocks, Ehazt Elves:Hawnin Giants: Clay Giants Stone Giants Men: Black Númenóreans Drûghu:Yatali-Gan Mountain Men of the Tûr Betark:Danak Sîranians:Bausairin, Bulgan, Cénnacatti, Haráni, Másra, Póa, River-valley People, Tyari Orcs: Desert Orcs Fighting-Orcs Jungle-Orcs Mountain Orcs Unik Trolls: Desert Trolls Hill Trolls Jungle-Trolls Mountain Trolls Stone Trolls Regions Akhúlsú Altin River Ayn Bosiri Brû Isra Cénna-Valley Cénnacatt Dalad Kirn Desert of Kirmlesra Devesu Dredar Erim Póa Eskisú Harshandatt Hayk Sarzain Isra Israsú Kek Donemeck River Kirm Kirm Lesra Kirmlesran Hills Mard Isauba Maudar Vale Mavi Ne Tava Ornad Póansú River Rásk River Rók Sara Bask Sel Sîresha river valley Sîrsis River Vale Skara Riskal Skara Sársas Tarmet Bazain Tûr Betark Ulsú Places of Note Abandoned Caravansary Akhûl Akhúlsu Aksari Ancient Lighthouse Apisêr Ayn Bál Bampóa Baud Selen Bóa Ters Bóas Altin Bóas Isra Bóas Ortu Bóasîri Cemetary of Mumalik Charnesra Danak Drêd Eskisú Evefalin Evepóa Eveselen Fhûl Galataj Gausas Ghabaras Hayk Surzain Ingelis Isresk Karaskon Ravine Kelen Kenk Kirm Kref Masar Kun Kuyu Altin Kuyu Akrep Kuyu Mavi Kuyu Selen Mablad-dûm Mara Gaib Mejhat Memphet Moghóly Dask Muraett Murghyr Naerphys Narad-Dûm Né Saik Ny Chennacatt Ostkêr Póan Pyarador Rask Rîntark Rók Skara Riscal Skara Sarsus Tarnet Barzain Tartaust Tûl Harar Till Isra Tûl Isra Tûl Póac Tûr Aylra Tûr Kirimar Tuthys Tyarett Ulsú Uyvhan Adesh Valley of Tombs Xyunai Yatali Kîrgan Yenndrêd Yûl Deve Roads Emek Ka Sirtina Kek Dínemek Kek Iliri Kek Irmak Kek Tepé Né Saiki Né Suik Yól Cénnacatt Yól Isra Yól Sari Creatures Animals: a-lori-ma-lau Blue Monkeys caja Camels Cattle Cougars Dogs eagles Foxes Goats Ground squirrels hanajaib hawks Hill Cats lizards predatory birds Rabbits Sheep songbirds vultures Wild dogs Olvar Barley coco nut cork Cotton date palm fig flax gorse grasses kafe legumes magnolia marauba palm nettles olive plametto rice Siranean sukpalm Tasab tough grass wheat wifwif willow References *MERP:Greater Harad *MERP:Nazgûl's Citadel *merp.com wiki Category:Redirect Category:Wild Lands Category:Harad Category:Far harad Category:Realms Category:MERP